Inspire Netherlands informs & inspires digital vision

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Imagine an event that informs, incites and positively influences your people. An internal event where employees can bring their peers and others who have a passion for Microsoft technologies and the future of digital. Such an event does exist and it is called Avanade Netherlands Inspire. This annual event is hosted by Avanade Netherlands and for the seventh year in a row has had growing participation, with more than 250 employees and 60 clients and partners in attendance this year.

When I joined Avanade in 2012, a few months before Inspire 2012, I embraced the energy that came with working towards this yearly highlight. About five months later, when the event took place, I realized what we had been working for and it was worth it. I had never been part of so much internal knowledge sharing and energizing employees and clients in one day.

This quote shows the importance of Inspire for the success of Avanade in the Netherlands. As Eric Hol, General Manager Avanade Netherlands, said: “Inspiration is the source of energy for everything we do within Avanade. That’s why Inspire is a very successful event with a large level of participation. It’s a high impact platform for our employees to learn about our vision, latest innovations and the projects we’re working on. Beyond that, it serves to inspire them with great new ideas and solutions and the opportunity to network with colleagues and clients in a stimulating environment.”

As my role is in internal communications, the event is my responsibility, but it would never have been such a huge success without the Inspire team working together. I need my technology colleagues to make a thought-provoking program with appealing sessions, both from thinking and execution. Together we made the event a success. Echoing these sentiments, Tijmen van de Kamp, CTIO Avanade Netherlands, said: “It’s a group of fantastic people who are very passionate about technology, very passionate about what they are doing and how they are making a difference for their clients.”

After years of organizing the event, it has become part of our routine business. The feedback from attendees, employees and clients, gives the energy to keep improving year after year. As we believe the future is on digital, for Inspire 2016 we will focus even more on the content related to this theme, also incorporating digital in the execution of the event. Referring to Avanade’s vision, my personal vision for Avanade Inspire Netherlands is to be the leading digital innovation event for our employees and their peers, through the power of our people and the Microsoft ecosystem.

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Marcel van Dijk

Way back I started this event together with Tom Driessen and Samira Salman (both alumni now). After presenting on TechSummit in Seattle and SolTech in the UK, I was convinced the Netherlands needed such an event also. This first edition was held in Microsoft Inovation Center in Barneveld with a budget of 5000 euro's. I could have never imagined that after 7 years this event would become this big and important for Avanade Netherlands. I am proud I was part of the starting team and I am thankful that the Management Team gave us the opportunity.
Keep up the good work!!
Marcel